Wire reel and stretcher



No Model.)

G. E. DIXON. WIRE REEL AND STRETGHER.

Patented Aug.4, 1891.

X'vw eRrYW 3 "1 IHHIIIIH IHHIIIIH l .IIIIIHIII I UNITED STATES PATENT()FFICE.

GEORGE E. DIXON, OF BEACON, IOWA.

WIRE REEL AND STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,985, dated August4, 1891.

Application filed February 14, 1891. Serial No. 381,50l. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. DIXON, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, anda resident of Beacon, in the county of Mahaska and State ofIowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in \Vire Reels andStretchers, of which the following is a specifloat-ion.

My invention relates to that class of devices for which United StatesLetters Patent No. 444,314 were issued to me January 6, 1891, and is animprovement on the same.

The objectof my invention is to provide means to prevent side draft, toadjust the position of the sprocketrwheels relative to each other, andto strengthen the connection between the bar and the axle, and Iaccomplish these results as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in myclaims, and illustrated by the ac companying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a plan view of my complete device. Fig. 2 is a side view of thesame, one of the traction-wheels being removed.

A represents an axial shaft mounted in traction-wheels B, which aresecured thereto and removable therefrom.

0 represents a beam secured to the axle A and extending forwardtherefrom. This beam is double and the rear end portion thereof isbifurcated and the axle A is run through both portions thereof, therebypreventing lateral movement of the projecting portion.

D represents a sprocket wheel loosely mounted on the axle A adjacent tothe beam 0. This wheel has a series of lugs Fformed integral with andprojecting therefrom on the side opposite to the beam G, which areadapted to engage the end portion of the spool H,

which latter is loosely mounted upon the axle A, and prevent said spoolfrom coming in contact with the wheel 1). A number of lugs J are alsofixed to the wheelD on the same side thereof as the lugs F. The lugs Jare longer than the lugs F and are adapted to engage with the end of thespool H adjacent thereto and rotate the same.

K represents a sprocket-wheel mounted on a crank-shaft L, which latteris supported in a bearer M, which is fixed to the outer end of the beam0. The outer end portion of this beam is provided with a slot M adaptedto admit a set screw or bolt M to adjustably secure the bearer Mthereto. The two sprocket-wheels are connected by a chain N, and areactuated by the rotation of the crankshaft L, which latter projectstoward the center of the machine from the plane of the beam 0. A pawl Nis pivotally secured to the beam 0 and engages with the periphery of thewheel I) to prevent backward movement thereof. This pawl may be reversedand the wire drawn from the opposite direction, if desired, withoutchanging the position of the machine.

0 represents a draft-chain fixed to the front end of the bearer M, andis provided with a hook on its free end, by means of which it may befixed to a post or other stationary object by wrapping the same aboutthe post and securing the hook in one of the links.

P represents a collar adjustably fixed to the axle A on the side of thewire-spool H opposite to the sprocket-wheel D, and is adapted to holdsaid spool in engagement with the lugs F on the said sprocket-Wheel.

By reason of 'the bearer M being fixed to the beam C in such a manner asto extend toward the center of the machine from said beam and having thecrank-handle L project-ed inward therefrom, the hand-hold of the bearerand the crank are brought nearer to the center of the machine, and thema chine is thereby more easily and steadily held.

I claim as my invention- 1. A wire reel and stretcher comprising anaxial shaft supported by traction-wheels, a bifurcated beam rigidlyfixed to said shaft, a shaft-bearer adjustably fixed to said beam andcarrying a crank-shaft with a sprocketwheel mounted thereoma chainconnecting the same to the sprocket-wheel on the axial shaft, whichlatter sprocket-Wheel has a series of lugs thereon engaging with a wirereel or spool, an adjustable collar on the axial shaft engaging thewire-spool and holding it in contact with the lugs on the said lattersprocketwheel, and means for preventing backward movement of thesprocket-wheels, as and for the purposes stated.

2. In a wire reel and stretcher, the combination, with the beamextending at right angles from the axle-shaft, of a bearer adjustablyfixed to the outer end of said beam and projecting inward toward thecenter of the machine and having a crank-shaft mounted therein, thehandle of which shaft projects from the bearer on the side thereofnearest to the center of the machine, as and for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE E. DIXON.

Witnesses:

RICHARD M. BOYER, W. R. LACEY.

